johnson



L b e e h s F t e e h s 2 N 0 S N H 0 S (No Modeli) ELECTRIC TEMPERATUREREGULATOR. No. 374,072.

Patented Nov. 29, 1887,.

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(NQ Model.) 2 SheetsShe.et 2.

W. S. JOHNSON.

ELECTRIC TEMPERATURE REGULATOR.

No. 374,072. Patented Nov. 29; 18 87.

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U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVARREN S. JOHNSON, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE JOHNSONELECTRIC SERVICE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,072, dated November29, 1887.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WARREN S. J OHNSON, of Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee, and in the State of WVisconsin, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Temperature-Regulators; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

' My invention relates to temperature-regulators, and will be fully setforth hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure l is a general view of one form of the apparatusemployed in carrying my invention into efi'ect. Fig. 2 is a de tailsectional view of the register and its attachments. Fig. 3 is anelevation, partly in section, of the combined thermostat andelectro-pneumatie valve; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section showinganother form of my invention applied to a register set inthe wall of anapartment.

My present invention is an improvement in heat-regulating apparatus inwhich electricity governs some fluid under pressure, and the fluid underpressure operates the valves which govern the supply of heat, theelectricity itself being controlled by a thermostat or thermostats,which, through slight variations of temperature, make and break theelectric circuits.

In my previous patents I have shown various devices and combinations foraccomplishing this purpose; but this present invention refersparticularly to a novel form of the electro-pneumatic valve andthermostat and to a special device for operating the form of valvecommonly called registers, and which are usually placed in the floor orwall of the apartment to be heated.

A represents the apartment to be heated, and B is an ordinaryfan-register or multipliedleafed valve in the floor thereof.

0 is the source of heat, which may be a hotair furnace, as shown, or asteam-furnace.

D is the source of electricity, as a battery.

E is the thermostat, and F is the electropneumatic valve connectedthereto.

. G G is the apparatus for furnishing the fluid under pressure-such asthe air-pum p and reservoir for compressed air shown in the drawings.

The thermostat E is a well known form which is operated by thedifferential expansion of two substances. The thermostatic bar isrigidly fastened at one extremity and free to move at the other, andforms one terminal of the battery D, (to which it is connected by wired,) and at its free end has contact-points. Below this is a block, E,provided with con tactslides e and 6, arranged so that one or the otherwill be always at one side of the free end of the thermostatie'bar andinposition to form a contact therewith by the movements of the latteroccasioned by variations of the temperature, and thus the slides e and ewill alternately form the other terminal of the said battery D.

WVhen the temperature in the room rises beyond the point desired, thethermostatic bar makes contact with the right-hand slide, 6, whichallows the current to pass through the right-hand magnet,H, by means ofthe spring contact-stripf and wire and the wires h and d to battery I)the block E and levers t i, which connect the slides e 6 with thearmature I, being of non-conducting or insulating substance; and whentherighthand magnet is thus excited it pulls down the right-hand end ofthe armature I. This armature has a hub, I,'working in the upper part orhead, J,of the coupling of the valve F, which coupling has two oppositeright-angled passages, a and b", the former, a,connecting by pipe at tothe res-. ervoir G of fluid under pressure, and the latter, 7),connecting by pipe I) to the expansible chamber B of the device whichserves to operate the register B.

The hub I of the armature has a passage or cut-awayportion, j, therein,which is adapted to register, according,to the position of the armature,with one or more of the passages a and b of the valve-casings andpassage j of the head J. Thus the hub of the armature I forms the plugof the cooker valve F, and the just described movement of the armatureturns the cock and allows the fluid under pressure from the reservoir Gto flow through the pipe at, passages aj b, and pipe b, in the directionopposite to that of the arrows in Fig. 3, to the just-named expansiblechamber B in the register-operating device and close the register B, asshown in Fig. 2. The mechanism which permits this tobe done is asfollows: K is one wall of the chamber K, which receives the ICO registerand communicates by pipe 0 with the furnace G, and this wall supportsthe housing 13 of the expansible chamber B, which housing projectstherefrom on one side, while from the other side, within the chamber K,there projects a lug, k, to which is attached one end of a spring, L,the other end of which is fast eued to a lever, M, one end of whichlever M is pivoted at m to a lug or projection, b, on the housing B,while the other end is pivoted at m to a vertical link, M, which in turnis pivoted to the bar N, which is connected to and operates the fans orslats n n a of the register. The tendency of the spring L is to draw upthe lever M to ahorizontal position,thereby raising the link M and bar Nand opening the fans a out, so as to admit the heated air from thefurnace O and pipe 0 into the apartment A, as shown in Fig. 1. Theexpansible chamber 13, through its flexible wall, presses upon a bearingplate, M, which is furnished with a depending shank pivoted at m to thelever M, and hence when the chamber 13 is expanded by sufficientfluid-pressure the lever M and its attachments will be forced downwardand the fans in the register closed, (notwithstanding the tendency ofthe spring,) as shown in Fig. 2.

The register is provided with a dog, 0, of ordinary construction, toclose it by hand (or foot) when the temperature of the room is notsufficiently high to do so, and also with a pivoted catch, P, which maybe turned under the segment of the dog 0, as shown in Fig. 1, so as tolock the fans in a closed position when it is not desired to warm theroom; and this is an important feature, as otherwise it would benecessary to detach the spring L to prevent the slats opening. At thesame time that the armature I moves down before the right-hand magnet,H, it draws with it the lever iand slidec, breaking the circuit whichproduced this movement,and as the right-hand end of the said armaturemoves down the left-hand end rises,'thereby raising the left-hand lever,2", and left-hand slide, a, so that when the temperature again falls inthe apartment A the thermostatic bar will move to the left and makecontact with said slide 0, and thus energize the left-hand magnet, 11,(completing the circuit through slide 6, spring contactstripf, wire 9,magnet H, wire h, and wire (2 to battery D;) and as the circuit aroundthe right hand magnet, H, has previously been broken, the left-handmagnet, H, is now free to pull down the left-hand end of the armature Iand simultaneously reverse the valve plug 1, (which forms thehubofthcarmature,as stated,) leaving the parts in the positions shown inFigs. 1 and The air or other fluid under pressure will now be cut offfrom its passage from the tank or reservoir G through the valve F, andthat containedin the expansible chamber B is free to escapeinto the openair through v the pipe I) and passages b, j, and j, as indicated by thearrows in Fig. 3, and then (if the register is not locked by the catchP) the spring L will open the register-fans n n a and permit the heat toenter the apartment A.

I preferably make the wall K of the registercasing independent of thefloor or wall opening and rigidly connected to the frame-work of theregister and to the housing 13 and it is desirable that the portion ofthe pipe 1) next the housing 13* should be flexible, (as of rubber,) sothat the register may be lifted from its normal position for cleaningwithout breaking its connections with the source of pressure or theactuating mechanism. The same result may be accomplished with the formof devices shown in Fig. at, where I have shown a register set in theface of a wall and operated by fluid-pressure.

In this form of my invention the housing B of the expansible chamber isnot attached to the register B, but is wholly independent thereof, andin place of the vertical link M (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) I show a chain,the lower end of which is attached to the dog 0 of the register, and thespring L is attached to other parts of the register and the wall Kdispensed with; but the functions, mode of operation,and advantages arethe same in both instances. Of course in the form shown in Fig. 4it isimmaterial whether the pipe 11 is partly flexible or wholly rigid, andthe various elements of my invention may be further modified within thelimit of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I do not limit myself to any especial kind of hot-air or steam furnace,nor to any particular fluid under pressure, nor any particular means forcompressing said fluid.

As used in this specification the term register is to be understood asmeaning a particular form of valve having two or more leaves, fans, orslats, which by a single concerted movement open or close an aperture.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a temperature regulator, a valve IIO formed of two or more fansmechanicallyjoined I nation, with a valve formed by the union of aseries of slats which move simultaneously to open and close an apertureand a lever or bar and link connected to one or more of said slats andoperated by fluid-pressure, of an electro-pneumatic valve, thermostat,battery, and suitable opposing electric circuits and a source offluid-pressure, a fluid under pressure, and suitable conduits, wherebythe electro-pneumatic valve is operated by the varia- .thermostat andthe movements of said valve controlled thereby, substantially as setforth.

3. In a temperature-regulator, the combi-' nation, with a valve composedof a series of fans which together serve bya concerted movement to openor close an aperture, of an expansible chamber, an operating lever orbar and link connected to one or more of said fans, a fluid underpressure,and suitable intermediate mechanism and conduits, whereby theaction of the fluid under pressure upon the expansible chamber willoperate the series of fans composing said valve, substantially as setforth.

4:. In a temperature-regulator, the combination, with a valve composedof a series of fans mechanically joined to move simultaneously, of alever pivoted to a link operating said fans, awall rigidly connected tothe framework of said valve, a housing rigidly connected to said walland containing an expansible chamber, said lever being pivoted to thelink at one end and to a projection on the said housing at the otherend, a spring extending from said lever to a lug on the said wall, andabearingplate pivoted to said lever and pressing against the movable wallof the said expansible chamber, substantially as set forth.

5. In a temperature-regulator, the combination, with a valve formed of aseries of fans mechanically joined to move simultaneously,

- said fans being supportedby a common framework, of a lever or bar anda link connected to one or more of said fans, and mechanism operated byfluid-pressure for actuating said lever or bar and said link and therebyopening and closing the fans of said valve, said mechanism and thefulcrum of said lever being permanently attached to the frame-work ofsaid valve, substantially as set forth.

6. In a temperature-regulator, the combination of a fan-register adaptedto be operated by fluid-pressure with a locking device for holding thefans of said register in the position to which they have been adj usted,substantially as set forth.

7. In a temperature-regulator, the combination, with a valve formed offans, which by a simultaneous movement open or close an aperture, saidvalve being operated by fluidpressure, of a suitable source offluid-pressure and a suitable conduit for said fluid, having flexibleconnection with said multipleleafed valve, whereby the latter may belifted from its normal position for thepurpose of cleaning withoutbreaking its connection with the source of pressure, substantially asset forth.

8. In a temperature-regulator, the combination, with a valve composed ofa series of slats mechanically joined to move simultaneously from asingle impulse, said impulse being furnished by fluid-pressure, offlexible connections to the source of power, whereby displacements ofthe register within certain limits will not disturb its functionalrelations to said source of power, substantially as set forth.

9. In a temperature-regulator, the combination, with a thermostat, ofcircuit-breaking devices permanently attached to said thermostat, saidcircuit-breaking devices being for opposing circuits, electromagneticmechanism operated by the thermostatic bar, and a three-Way valveoperated by said mechanism, whereby when one circuit is closed by thethermostatic bar the valve is turned in one direction by theelectromagnetic actuating mechanism, the circuit is broken at thethermostat by a movement of the circuit-breaker transversely to thenormal motion of the thermostatic bar, and the opposing circuit-breakingdevice placed in position to close the circuit by contact with thethermostatic bar when said bar shall have moved in the oppositedirection, and when the other circuit is thus closed the valve will beturned in the opposite direction and the position of the saidcircuit-breakers reversed, substantially as set forth.

, 10. In a temperature-regulator, the combination, with a thermostat, ofcircuit-breaking devices attached thereto for opposing circuits,electro-niag-netic mechanism operated by the thermostat, anelectro-pneumatic valve operated by said mechanism, a fluid underpressure, suitable conduits for the same connecting with passages insaid valve, an expansible chamber communicating with said conduits, anda valve composed of a series of slats mechanically joined to movesimultaneously, and a lever or bar and a link connected to one or. moreof said slats, all combined and adapted to operate substantially as setforth.

11. In a temperature-regulator, the combination of a thermostatic armmoved by changes of temperature, a valve operated thereby, andelectrically actuated circuit-contacts in the thermostat itself, saidcontacts moving at right angles to the movement of the thermostatic arm,all arranged to operate in the following order: first, the thermostat,making contact with one contact-piece; second, the electric currentoperating the valve in one direction, and, third, the electric mechanismbreaking the circuit by removing the contact-piece from the thermostaticarm by a motion at right angles to the normal movement of said arm andplacing an opposing contact-piece in position to close the other circuitwhen the thermostat moves in the opposite direction, substantially asset forth. 4

12. In a temperature-regulator, the combination of a thermostatic barprovided with contact-points at its free end, a battery, and opposingelectric circuits, a block located below the said thermostatic bar andhaving slides-adapted to alternately come in contact therewith, a valve,an armature operating said valve, and opposing magnets in circuit withsaid slides, substantially as set forth.

13. In a temperature-regulator, the combination of a thermostatic barhaving contactto be alternately energized as the said slides points atits free end, a battery and opposing make and break contact with thethermostat,

electric circuits, a block below the said thersubstantially as setforth.

mostatic bar provided with slides adapted to In testimony that I claimthe foregoing I 15 5 alternately come in contact with said bar, a havehereunto set my hand, at Milwaukee, in

valve below said block, a valve-plug forming the county of Milwaukee andState of Wisconthe hub of an armature, the said armature havsin, in thepresence of two witnesses.

ing levers connected to the said slides, and VARREN S. JOHNSON. springcontact-strips and opposing magnets Witnesses:

to in said circuits, the said strips bearing against H. G.-UNDERWOOD,

the said slides and the said magnets adapted MAURICE F. FREAR.

